Papelbon’s song gets drop-kicked

Now that Jonathan Papelbon has shipped down to Philadelphia, the former Red Sox closer needs to find a new entrance song for the Phillies.

For the past six years, Papelbon stormed out of Boston's Fenway Park bullpen to the beat of the Dropkick Murphys' "Shipping Up to Boston."

But the band's lead singer and bassist, Ken Casey, a Red Sox fan, said that sports anthem ship has sailed.

"He can't use 'Shipping Up To Boston,' " Casey told espn.com. "That's a Boston song. One of the Philadelphia radio guys suggested 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya.'

"And I have to get with the new Sox closer (Andrew Bailey) to let him know he can use 'Shipping Up to Boston.' That's not Pap's song. That's the closer's song."

The Dropkick Murphys have since changed their tune, though, claiming in a statement on their Facebook page that Casey, a Papelbon pal, was misquoted.

"What's this we hear about us telling Papelbon he can't use 'Shipping Up to Boston' as his entry song?," they wrote. "We would never do that! It was a joke, people!"

Casey must've been joking because, according to mlb.com, he offered to change the song's lyrics for Papelbon, replacing "Boston" with "Philly." But the former All-Star declined, saying he has already chosen a new song he's keeping secret for now.

Maybe it's AC/DC's "Shake A Leg." During an interview with a Philadelphia radio station in which Papelbon said Phillies fans "know the game a little better" than Red Sox fans, he said Boston fans "are a little bit more hysterical when it comes to the game of baseball."

"I've had a guy take off his prosthetic leg and throw it in the bullpen in Boston," he said.

■ PRIMA DONNA POINT -- Despite performances such as his spectacular 18-point, 17-rebound, 20-assist triple-double in Boston's recent win over the New York Knicks, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo continues to be the subject of trade rumors -- in part, for having a bad attitude.

Rondo didn't dispute the charge in an interview with csnne.com.

"Actually, my sister, she calls me 'Oscar,' like the grouch, because I work her a little bit," Rondo said. "They get on me, call me a 'divo.' (Coach) Doc (Rivers), KG (Kevin Garnett), they get on me, say I'm high maintenance.

"I just tell them they're the same. Obviously I've learned from guys that's in front of me."

He might have a point. Rivers said Rondo isn't the only male diva on the team.

"We call Kevin that (a divo), we kid around with that," he said.

■ OCHO STINKO -- After producing little for the New England Patriots last season, Chad Ochocinco was finally on the receiving end of something when a lion urinated on him recently at a children's charity event in Florida.

The incident, which Ochocinco compared to getting sprayed by a water gun, ignited a flurry of tweets from the veteran wideout, who also posted a photo of the big cat.

"Swear to lil 10 pound bearded baby Jesus that I just got peed on by a real "Lion" I'm not lying either. And y'all wonder why I don't go out!!!!!," he wrote. "It's not funny I have on my good church clothes.

"I can't believe some of you find such a horrific and emotionally draining accident so funny."

The lion must've had Ochocinco on his fantasy football team last season.

COMPILED BY TODD DEWEY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL